The present invention relates to a device for dispensing a product. In particular, the present invention relates to a device for dispensing a product onto a product sampler. Such a device could be used at points of sale, for instance, to test products such as perfumes.
In the perfumery sector of store, testers are frequently set up at the points of sale of the products to allow customers to try the product before buying it. These testers are usually the same models or product receptacles as those intended for sale. The limited volume of these testers means that they have to be renewed at frequent intervals. Furthermore, it can be difficult for customers to judge perfumes properly in an atmosphere laden with the blended vapors of the different perfumes that are present at the testing point. Also, the disappearance of testers from these test points is not uncommon. Lastly, the creativity of the designers of such points of sale is limited by having to find a very specific location at the front for the tester or testers.
Devices are known wherein a push-button pump is located separately from a receptacle containing a perfume. Hence the pump, with its associated actuating device, can be mounted in a fixed position on a display unit and connected via a supply line to the receptacle containing the perfume. The receptacle will generally be situated in a cabinet not accessible to the customers. The supply line between the pump and the receptacle will generally be relatively long. The risk of theft or of breakage of the bottles of perfume may be reduced. In addition, the amount of required display space also may be reduced. The receptacles containing the perfumes can be of larger capacity. The vapors released from the bottles are confined in a closed cabinet.
However, the cost of the cabinet may be significant. Additionally, the pushbutton, which is provided to actuate the pump, is frequently pulled out, often out of pure vandalism, rendering the test device unusable.
Other devices have been proposed for the automatic impregnation of product samplers, typically made of cardboard and sometimes known as xe2x80x9cslips.xe2x80x9d These product samplers are offered to the consumer on a display unit, so that the consumer can impregnate the product sampler on demand with the desired perfume product.
For instance, in one device, the consumer inserts the product sampler into a horizontal slot. The slot is defined in part by an eccentric notched wheel. During insertion and due to friction, the product sampler causes the eccentric notched wheel to turn. The product sampler stops at the end of its travel against an end stop. The product sampler is retained in the slot by the eccentricity of the wheel. The consumer then withdraws the product sampler. The act of pulling on the retained product sampler actuates the pump and releases the product onto the product sampler. As the impregnated product sampler continues to be pulled, it is released by a clutch mechanism.
Besides the sophistication of this device, such a device is expensive to manufacture, unreliable, and not directly operated by the consumer. Specifically, the mechanical pulling force intended to actuate the pump is exerted on the impregnated product sampler. The product sampler, especially if it has already been impregnated before, is liable to tear when pulled by the consumer. Part of the product sampler may be left jammed inside the device, possibly preventing further operation. Furthermore, if the product sampler to be impregnated is not very stiff, it will be difficult to insert into the slot defined by the notched wheel.
One optional aspect of the invention relates to a device for dispensing a product onto a product sampler that is mechanically actuated.
Another optional aspect of the invention relates to a device for dispensing product onto a product sampler that will be simple to use, inexpensive to produce, mechanically reliable, and sufficiently robust to withstand acts of vandalism.
It should be understood that the invention could still be practiced without performing one or more of the optional aspects described above. Still other optional aspects will become apparent from the detailed description that follows.
As broadly described herein, the present invention relates to a device for dispensing a product onto a product sampler. The device may comprise a dispensing member configured to be connected to a product receptacle and at least one outlet orifice in flow communication with the dispensing member. The device may also comprise an actuator element configured to actuate the dispensing member and a locking element. The locking element may have a first position in which the dispensing member cannot be actuated and a second position in which the dispensing member can be actuated. Additionally, the locking element may be configured to move from the first position to the second position when the product sampler is placed in front of the at least one outlet orifice.
The device may be placed in an enclosure or behind a wall in such a manner that only a portion of the actuator element is accessible from outside the enclosure or wall. For instance, a window or opening in the wall or one face of the enclosure may allow the consumer to indirectly place the product sampler in front of the outlet orifice. The risk of acts of vandalism may thus be limited. Also, because the dispensing member may not be actuated without first placing a product sampler in front of the outlet orifice, product may not be dispensed unless a product sampler is in place. This may reduce the risk of fouling the device.
The enclosure or the wall may form a fixed body (or frame) on which the dispensing member may be mounted, optionally in a fixed position. The actuator element and the locking element may be movable with respect to the fixed body and with respect to the dispensing member. The device optionally comprises a receiving member for receiving the product sampler and enabling placing of the product sampler in front of the at least one outlet orifice. Such a receiving member may be in the form of a plate. The receiving member may allow the product sampler to be placed, for example, at a fixed distance or at a fixed lateral position with respect to the outlet orifice. Thus, it may be possible, for instance, when the product is dispensed in the form of a conical spray, to ensure that all of the product dispensed is deposited on the product sampler.
Optionally, the product sampler is placed with respect to the outlet orifice by a movement, for example, a translational movement, of the product sampler with respect to the receiving member. The locking element may be moved from the first position to the second position in response to movement of the product sampler. In the course of this movement, the stress on the product sampler may be insignificant, thereby reducing the risk of damage to the product sampler, particularly where the product sampler is made of card stock.
Alternatively, the product sampler may be placed with respect to the outlet orifice by a movement of the receiving member itself. In this case, the product sampler to be impregnated may have first been placed on the receiving member.
Optionally, the receiving member may act as the actuator element that actuates the dispensing member. This may reduce the number of parts outside of the enclosure or wall and correspondingly may reduce the risk of vandalism.
Alternatively, an actuator element separate from the receiving member may be provided. For instance, this separate actuator element may be in the form of a button.
Optionally, the product sampler may be used in conjunction with the receiving member to actuate the dispensing member. For instance, the movement of the product sampler, as it is placed in front of the outlet orifice, may end with a joint or mutual movement of the product sampler and of the receiving member. This mutual movement may occur over a short distance, which corresponds to the actuation stroke of the dispensing member. Such a mutual movement may be of negligible amplitude compared with the movement of the product sampler relative to the receiving member.
Also, the actuation of the dispensing member may be the result of a force applied manually to the actuator element. This force may be applied approximately along an axis defined by a direction of movement of the product sampler with respect to the receiving member. Thus, the manual movement may be simplified because the manual actuating movement is a continuation of the movement for placing the product sampler in front of the outlet orifice. The whole operation may be done with one hand.
The receiving member may comprise a plate having a guide element capable of guiding the product sampler in translational movement. Such a guide element may be formed, for example, from the edges of an indentation in the surface of the plate. The product sampler, which is to be impregnated, may be slidably inserted within the edges of the indentation. Alternatively, guide elements may be formed by continuous or discontinuous channels or raised ridges.
Optionally, a stop (e.g., a stop surface) may be provided to limit the movement of the product sampler with respect to the receiving member. This may ensure that the axial placing of the product sampler with respect to the outlet orifice is controlled and is substantially identical for all product samplers to be impregnated. In addition, such a stop may indicate to the user the proper moment at which to actuate the dispensing member. The stop, similar to the guide element, may be formed from an edge in an indentation of the surface of the plate forming the receiving member. Alternatively, the stop may be formed of one or more raised elements.
In one optional embodiment, the mechanical locking element comprises a catch. The catch may come into engagement with a dispensing head when the locking element is in a first position. The dispensing head may comprise the outlet orifice. In the first position, the locking element may prevent actuation of the dispensing member. The catch may be coupled to a pin. One end of the pin may be situated on the path of the product sampler to be impregnated. The product sampler may come into engagement with the pin during the placing of the product sampler with respect to the outlet orifice. The engagement of the pin with the product sampler may cause the catch to move the locking element to the second position.
The movement of the catch may be a pivoting movement, for example, movement about a first pivot axis (X). The product sampler may slide along the receiving member, and one end of the product sampler may come into engagement with the pin, making the pin pivot and causing a corresponding pivoting movement of the catch. The product sampler then may pass underneath an end of the pin. The positioning of the product sampler beneath the end of the pin may prevent the catch from returning to the locked position. So long as the product sampler to be impregnated is in position with respect to the outlet orifice, the pin may remain pivoted, thereby preventing the catch from returning to the locked position.
Optionally, the first pivot axis (X) may be perpendicular to a longitudinal axis (Y) of the dispensing member, and perpendicular to the axis (A) defined by the direction of the movement of the product sampler with respect to the receiving member.
The first pivot axis (X) may be at approximately the same height as a portion of the dispensing head that comes into engagement with the catch when the locking element is in the first position. This height may, for instance, be measured as the distance from the point of engagement of the catch with the portion of the dispensing head to the longitudinal axis (Y) of the dispensing member. Thus, the operation of the locking element may be improved. In particular, the force applied by the product sampler to be impregnated on the pin, which causes the catch to swing away or pivot, may be noticeably reduced. This reduced force may reduce the risk of damage to the product sampler.
In another optional embodiment, the locking element may automatically return to the first position, for instance, under gravity, when the product sampler is no longer in engagement with the pin.
Actuation of the dispensing member may be by axial movement of an actuating member of the dispensing member, for instance, of a pump rod, along the longitudinal axis (Y) of the dispensing member. In the case of a dispensing member having a valve connected to an aerosol receptacle, the valve may be actuated by axial depression or by lateral tilting of the actuating member, for instance, a valve stem.
The actuator element may be able to pivot about a second pivot axis (Z) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (Y) of the dispensing member. Such a second pivot axis (Z) may be perpendicular to the axis (A) defined by the direction of the movement of the product sampler with respect to the receiving member. The distance between the second pivot axis (Z) and the receiving member may be sufficiently large compared with the actuating stroke of the dispensing member such that the movement of the receiving member may be substantially linear, and optionally, approximately in line with the movement of the product sampler with respect to the receiving member.
Also, optionally, the actuator element may come into engagement during its pivoting movement about the second pivot axis (Z) with a bearing surface on the dispensing head. The engagement of the actuator element and of the bearing surface of the dispensing head may take place via a portion of the bearing surface. The bearing surface of the dispensing head and/or the corresponding portion of the actuator element may have, for instance, a conical profile, a cylindrical profile or a spherical profile.
Optionally, an anti-rotation device may be provided to substantially prevent the dispensing head from rotating about the longitudinal axis of the dispensing member. The anti-rotation device may be slidably coupled to the dispensing head and may translationally guide the dispensing head when engaged with the actuator element in response to an actuating command.
According to another aspect, the invention may relate to a device comprising a dispensing member capable of being actuated and configured to be connected to a product receptacle. A dispensing head may be movably coupled to the dispensing member and have at least one outlet orifice. An actuator element may be configured to engage the dispensing head. A locking element may have a first position engaged with the dispensing head and a second position disengaged from the dispensing head. Optionally, the dispensing member cannot be actuated with the locking element in the first position and can be actuated with the locking element in the second position. The locking element may be configured to move from the first position to the second position when the product sampler is moved relative to the dispensing member.
According to an optional embodiment, a system for dispensing a product onto a product sampler is provided. The system may comprise a device for dispensing a product onto a product sampler and a product receptacle in flow communication with the device. The product receptacle may contain a product (e.g., a perfume).
According to another optional embodiment, a system may comprise a device for dispensing a product onto a product sampler and an enclosure for substantially containing the device. A passage through a wall of the enclosure may allow the product sampler to be placed with respect to the outlet orifice. The actuator element may be accessible from outside the enclosure. Alternatively, all the components of the device may be located behind a wall of a display unit.
Optionally, the receiving member extends at least partly out of the enclosure via the passage. The dispensing member may then be actuated in response to a pressure applied to the receiving member.
The dispensing member may be coupled to the product receptacle via a product supply line having a first end and a second end. The first end may be inside the enclosure. The second end of the supply line may be located outside of the enclosure and configured to connect to the product receptacle.
The device according to the invention may be particularly suitable for dispensing a cosmetic product, for example, a perfume product.
According to another optional aspect, the invention may include a method for dispensing a product onto a product sampler. The method may comprise providing the system for dispensing a product onto a product sampler, providing the product sampler, wherein at least a part of the product sampler is placed in front of the at least one outlet orifice, and providing the product, wherein the product is dispensed onto the product sampler.
According to yet another optional aspect, a method may comprise placing at least a part of the product sampler in front of the at least one outlet orifice of the system for dispensing a product onto a product sampler, and dispensing the product onto the product sampler.
In one optional embodiment, the method may comprise actuating the dispensing member when at least a part of the product sampler is placed in front of the outlet orifice.
Optionally, the actuator element may comprise a receiving member configured to hold the product sampler, and the placing of the product sampler may comprise moving the product sampler with respect to a receiving member to enable the placing of at least a part of the product sampler in front of the at least one outlet orifice.
The actuating of the dispensing member may comprise applying a manual force to the actuator element. The manual force may be applied approximately along an axis defined by a direction of movement of the product sampler with respect to the receiving member.
The method may further comprise guiding the product sampler with a guide element of the receiving member and stopping movement of the product sampler with respect to the receiving member when the product sampler contacts a stop of the receiving member.
The locking element may comprise a catch configured to engage a portion of the dispensing head to prevent actuation of the dispensing member when the locking element is in the first position and to be disengaged from the dispensing head to allow actuation of the dispensing member when the locking element is in the second position. The method may comprise moving the locking element from the first position to the second position.
Optionally, the locking element may comprise a pin coupled to the catch, and the placing of the product sampler may comprise engaging the product sampler with the pin to move the locking element from the first position to the second position.
In one optional embodiment, the moving of the locking element may comprise pivoting the catch about a first pivot axis, the first pivot axis being substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the dispensing member.
Also, the locking element may automatically return to the first position when the product sampler is disengaged from the pin, and the method may further comprise disengaging the product sampler from the pin.
Optionally, moving the locking element from the first position to the second position may comprise pivoting the actuator element about a second pivot axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the dispensing member.
The dispensing head may comprise a bearing surface, and the pivoting of the actuator element about the second pivot axis may comprise engaging the actuator element with the bearing surface.
Besides the structural arrangements and procedural aspects described above, there could include a number of other arrangements, such as those explained hereinafter. It is to be understood that both the foregoing description and the following description are exemplary.